NSFW: This post contains macro photography of flowers

On a recent trip to Boise I was surprised by what a nice little city it is, and one of the nicest things about it was the beautiful rose garden near downtown. Though it was late October there were still thousands/… Read full post »

The Osage Indians called September "The Moon of Yellow Flowers."  It's October now, but I thought I'd share some photos from last week which demonstrate how appropriate the name is.   These were taken Sept. 28th at Melvern Reservoir in Osage County, Kan… Read full post »

The tallgrass prairie of eastern Kansas looks timeless, but it isn't a static ecosystem.  There is constant encroachment from woodland biomes to the east, and periodic burning, along with grazing animals and drought, prevents a prairie from turning into a forest.  &… Read full post »

There is no shortage of oak/hickory forests and riparian woodlands in my area, but there's one forest that's unique here. It's a place called Maple Woods, not far north of downtown Kansas City, and consists of a series of steep ridges and creek valleys covered in giant oaks and mature stands of… Read full post »

"We do not want to talk to anyone - not to Karzai, nor to any foreigners - till the foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan.  We are certain that we are winning. Why should we talk if we have the upper hand, and the foreign troops are considering withdrawal, and there are/… Read full post »

My dad was an angler and a hunter, and some of the best times of my childhood were spent outdoors.  The sport, the hunting and the fishing, was just an excuse to get outside really, and I have a lot of fond memories of those days. I'll never forget how clean… Read full post »